Bell-nipple.



P. C. THUS & W. C. BOROUGH.

BELL NIPPLE. APPLICATION FILED APR- 25! I917- 1,25 s,27 3. Palm- 1 Mar. 5,1918.

%M j g T azzzwm s sTfins ,rnrvr 3 PETER C. TITUS, OF BREA, AND 'WILBERT C. BOROUGH, OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA.

. BELL-NIPPLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ma. 5, 1918-.

Application filed April 25, 1917. Serial No. 164,547. I i

' of pump rods from wells.

Further objects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter.

In the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

Figure 1 is an application figure showing the method of applying our invention to an oil well.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the bell nipple embodying our invention in its engaged position.

Fig. 3 is a' similar view showing the method of disengaging the two halves of the bell nipple. V

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the grooved section of the bell nipple.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the tongued section of the bell nipple.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, a portion of an oil well is illustrated, this oil well having a casing 11 and a casing head 12 in which the oil well tubing 13 is secured. Passing downwardly through the tubing 13 is a string of pump rods 14, these rods being joined at regular intervals by connections 15 and 16 which are shown disconnected in Fig. l for the sake of-clearness. Secured to the upper end of the tubing 13 is a discharge T 17 into which a discharge pipe 18 is threaded. Under ordinary conditions a packing box 19 is threaded into the top of the discharge T 17, this packing box making a' tight joint about the top rod of the string of rods 14 which is commonly known as the polish rod.

This polish rod is actuated from a beam 20. The packing box 19 is ordinarily provided with a pair of handles 21 to assist in its disconnection. The parts 11 to 21 are standard oil well practice, and form no part of.

the present invention.

To understand the present invention, it is necessary to describe the method of operation in pulling rods. This operation is required whenever anything happens to the pump which requires attention, or 'when-' Under such conditions, the pack-' methods of handling. rods there is oonsiderable danger of the connections 15 and 16 catching on the edge of the 'T 17, particu-l .larly when the rods are being lowered into the well. Under these conditions they hang for a while, and are then released, dropping sometimes for considerable distances. The dropping of a string of rods is both dangerous and expensive, as their great weight makes them almost sureto break, and the sudden strain imposed by their weight often breaks other apparatus in and around the well, thus inducing a very serious life 'haz ard. For the purpose of doing away with this hazard, and expediting the handling of the rods, we have devised the invention illus trated in Figs. 2, 3, 4:, 5'and 6.

This invention comprises what is ,commonly known as'a bell nipple; that is to say,

a nipple having a central bore 31 which is flanged out at the top,as shown at 32, so

as to provide a rounded surface over which the projecting edges of the tubing 13 can slide without catching.

Solid nipples have been used for this purpose, but owing to the necessity for supporting the string of rods they are extremely inconvenient to apply,

and their use is limited on this account.

Our bell nipple consists; of two parts, a grooved portion 33 and atongued portion 34. These parts are both semi-cylindrical and each has a lower threaded portion'35 terminating in a shoulder 36. The portion 33 has a pair ofdovetailed slots 37 formed in its edge, and the portion 34 has a pair of similar dovetailed tongues 38 formed on its edge, the tongues 38 registering accurately with the grooves 37 and abutting in Fig. 1.

axially when the nipple is put together, as shown in Fig. 2. That is to say, the upper ends of tl e tongues 38 are stopped by the upper ends of the grooves 37 in such a position that the shoulders 36 on the two halves are in accurate alineinent and the threads 35 on the two halves form a continuous thread.

he method of applying the nipple is as follows One of the halves, such for example as the grooved portion 33, is placed about the rod ll just below the raised packing b0); 19, as shown in Fig. 1, and the portion list is placed around the rod 14: just below the portion 33. The two parts are then slid together in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3. being finally stopped in the position shown in Fig. 2. The joined nipple, as shown in Fig. 2, is then screwed down in the top of the T 17,assu1ning the position shown The rods let may then he raised or lowered without any danger of catching in the T 17, and the bell nipple may be removed at any time by reversing the operation. That is to say, unscrewing the bell nipple from the T and sliding the two halves 33 and 33 apart. As the application and removal of the nipple is a very easy.

matter, the men working in the derrick are very glad indeed to use it, and serious accidei ts are thereby prevented. 7

We clann as our invention:-

1. A bell nipple split into halves along a plane parallel with its axis and having a CIv'llHtlllCfll central opening flared at the top; a pair of dovetailed pro ections each termed on one of the split edges and fitting closely into similar groove on the complementary edge of the other half; and means for securing the lower end of said nipple to a pipe.

A hell nipplesplit intohalves along a plane parallel with its axis and having a' V (:Xlll'lClIlCZtl central opening flared at the top;

means for fixing the axial position ofone half with relation to the other; comprising; a pair of dovetailed pro] ections each formed;

on one of the split edges and fitting closely into a similar groove on the complementary edge of the other half; 'andmeans for se curing the lower end of said nlpple to-a,

pipe. 7

in testimony whereof, we have hereunto 0991:! of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

